The UK has been experiencing a bit of a cold snap over the last week and as temperatures have continued to plummet I have found myself drawn to warming comfort foods.

Although it is not quite peak-rhubarb season until about April, rhubarb is available as early as February and I recently spotted some beautiful pink rhubarb at my local fruit and veg stall which made my mouth water. I think people often don’t know what to do with rhubarb, but one of the simplest ways to cook it is in a crumble – and you can’t really go wrong with the classic combination of Rhubarb and Apple.

For most recipes, it is essential to sweeten rhubarb with a little sugar, but not so much that it begins to lose all its sharpness. If cooked properly, rhubarb should be that perfect balance between sweet and sour – be careful too, not to cook the rhubarb for too long as it can lose it shape become mush.

I topped my crumble with gluten free oats, but if you struggle to tolerate gluten free oats, you could try buckwheat flakes, quinoa flakes or flaked almonds instead.

Gluten Free Rhubarb and Apple Crumble with Homemade Custard Ingredients – GF/DF options

For the filling:
400g pink rhubarb, cut into thumb size pieces
300g Bramley apples, peeled and sliced
100g caster sugar

For the crumble topping:
75g unsalted butter (or dairy free butter)
250g all-purpose gluten free flour (I used Schär All Purpose Baking Mix)
50g caster sugar
A handful of gluten free oats, buckwheat flakes, quinoa flakes or flaked almonds

Custard:
1 tsp cornflour
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract
20g caster sugar
150ml double cream (or dairy free alternative)
100ml milk (or dairy free alternative)

Method

1) Preheat the oven 200 C/180 C fan/gas mark.

2) Place the rhubarb and caster sugar into a heavy bottomed pan. Heat the ingredients over a low to medium heat until the rhubarb starts to release its juices, but holds its shape.

2) Add the slices of apple to the pan and stir until the apple is coated with the rhubarb juice. Pour the fruit into the baking dish and set aside while you make the crumble topping.

3) To make the crumble topping, mix together the flour and sugar then rub in butter until you are left with a breadcrumb like texture.

4) Spoon the crumble mixture over the fruit filling, ensuring it is completely covered. Top with gluten-free oats (or one of the alternatives listed above), then bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

5) To make custard: place the cornflour, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla extract into a heavy bottomed pan and give the ingredients a quick whisk. Add milk and cream then place the pan over a medium heat. Continuously whisk the mixture to help it thicken and to stop the custard burning – do not let it boil.

6) Once the custard has thickened remove the pan from the heat and serve.

I love seeing your take on my recipes, so remember to share a snap of your crumbles over on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #titchytonbakes.